The conflict in Iran should be a reminder of, not a cause to divert attention from, U.S. interests in the West Pacific.
America’s war in the Middle East demonstrates the necessity of allies to American strategy. This is equally critical in military, economic, and technological contexts. Washington must recognize the essential contribution to its grand strategy that Taiwan provides. Sustaining this partnership requires accelerating military transfers and improving defense-industrial and operational links.
Trump must therefore resist the temptation to diminish this essential partnership just to gain ephemeral goodwill in Beijing during the scheduled May meeting with General Secretary Xi.
The U.S. relationship with Taiwan, by any evaluation, is significantly more equitable than with the European powers. This despite the persistent, bizarre accusation that Taiwan must become a garrison state before it deserves U.S. support.
The reality is that Taiwan remains an essential contributor to American power. Over the last two years, Taiwan has transcended rhetoric to meaningfully improve its capabilities, focusing on the most critical phase of any potential conflict: surviving the first wave of a Chinese attack. By hardening its defenses and investing in asymmetric warfare, Taipei is actively working to blunt a Chinese offensive and provide the U.S. with the valuable time required for a coordinated reaction.
This transformation is evident in Taiwan’s shift toward a “porcupine” strategy. Taipei remains nervous about multi-year backlogs in American arms deliveries — understandably so because of the oscillating character of American defense transfers. However, Taiwan has increasingly pivoted to indigenous, low-cost solutions.
In July 2025, the Ministry of National Defense announced an ambitious plan to procure nearly 50,000 drones by 2027. The specific aim is to develop massive expendable systems that can turn the Taiwan Strait into an “unmanned nightmare” for an invading fleet. Taiwan’s advantages in semiconductor manufacturing give a domestic drone ecosystem the potential for deep roots.
Concurrently, Taiwan is investing heavily in mobile Hsiung Feng anti-ship missiles, indigenous minelaying ships, and naval drones. These systems are designed to survive initial missile barrages and remain operational even after traditional naval and air assets are neutralized. They are intended to ensure that the cost of a successful amphibious assault remains prohibitively high for Beijing, extending the time Taiwan can survive direct pressure.
Beyond the battlefield, Taiwan is making measurable contributions to American economic and technological security. For the first time in 26 years, Taiwan’s trade landscape has fundamentally shifted from the mainland. The U.S. imported more goods last year from Taiwan than from China, while the U.S. for the first time in a quarter-century became Taiwan’s largest export partner.
Read the rest at The Hill.
Seth Cropsey is the founder and president of Yorktown Institute.
